Free Social Media Smarts from RI Food Fights

On this week’s “This Just In” page, we introduced you to Jim Nellis, “the Georgia-born, investment-banker-turned-social-media-consultant who is the mastermind behind RI Food Fights,” the operation putting on the “Spectacular Cookie Smackdown” this Sunday at Fete in Providence. Jim’s got an impressive resume when it comes to creating Facebook pages, and he’s got the #socialmediaswagger to go with it. “I’m not the best person in social media,” he says. “But I’m the best person that you have access to.”

After our interview he sent over six tips for local businesses NOT to do when considering their Facebook options.

Take it away, Jim.

1. NOT HAVE A PAGE. Look around. Are your competitors on Facebook? Of course they are.

2. WORRY. Don't worry. You can't break the Facebook and your reach is so small that no one will notice your freshman mistakes. Write an update. Click 'Post.' Repeat.

3. NOT HAVE A STRATEGY. This doesn't include letting your high school kid run it. You have a brand and you want to expose it to new people. Read up on strategies that the big boys are using. Spend some time researching the platform.

4. SELL. SELL. SELL. Stop already. You're boring the few people who read your posts. Talk about something that interests you and you feel will be of interest to your followers. Can't think of anything? Share someone else's post. It's NOT stealing. It's SHARING and it's encouraged.

5. BEGGING FOR 'LIKES.' This one kills me. A page has 100 LIKES and every other post is 'Please 'Like' our page.' Understand the platform. You are asking folks that already like your page to like your page. You are BORING and probably have an AOL email account.

6. NOT HAVE A PAGE. You probably won't create a page just because you saw it once in a list, so I'll put it twice. Also, if you do have a page, even a crappy one, you should know you are ahead of the pack. Good for you!